‘And here,’ I say, wincing as I get to my feet and step across to the smaller stone, ‘is his beloved Lady Vivien, the fairest maiden in all of –’

I don’t manage to get the word out because there, sitting on top of Lady Vivien’s stone, is Elspeth.

‘The fairest maiden in all of Sussex,’ she says, expanding her arms towards the sky. Her purple dress is a wash of colour against the mottled grey stone.

I step towards her, my hands shaking.

‘Elspeth,’ I whisper. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘I want to play hide and seek,’ she says, jumping down from the stone. ‘Try and find me.’

‘No, Elspeth, come back,’ I call, but she is already making her way down the hill. ‘Please, darling, come back.’

I go after her, keeping my eyes fixed on the flash of purple as she darts left and right looking for a hiding place, but my legs are too weak, I can’t keep up. When I reach the narrow lane that leads back to Larkfields, I call her name.

‘Elspeth. I don’t want to play any more. Please come out.’

And then I hear it. A scream. Cutting through the air.

‘Elspeth, what is it? What’s happened?’

I pause and listen. The noise comes again, sharper this time.

‘Elspeth,’ I cry. ‘It’s okay, darling, Mummy’s here. I’m coming to find you.’

And then I look up and see a straggly crow perched on a branch in the oak tree above me. It opens its beak and lets out a caw so high-pitched and pitiful it could be mistaken for a child’s cry.

‘No,’ I scream up at the bird. ‘No, no, no.’

22

There’s a screech of brakes. A door slams and footsteps crunch on gravel. Then I feel a hand on my shoulder.

‘Hello?’

Elspeth.

‘Can you hear me? Are you okay?’

I open my eyes, pain ripping through my head and spine.

‘Elspeth?’ I whisper. But as the face comes into focus I see that it is not Elspeth, it is a woman; the woman from the house.

‘Are you hurt?’ she asks, her voice firm and brusque.

I shake my head and try to get to my feet.

‘Hold on,’ she says, keeping her hand on my arm. ‘I need to check that you’re not injured. Goodness, what’s happened to your fingernails?’

I yank my hand back.

‘I was in a car accident. Sorry, I have to go.’

She stands back as I stagger to my feet. Flashes of white light dance in front of my eyes and I put my hand out to try and steady myself. The woman rushes to my side and takes my arm.

‘Come on,’ she says. ‘I’m taking you back into the house. You need to sit down and have a glass of water and I need to check you’re okay.’